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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 26, 1981)
Battalion lo\, 74 No. 121 !6 Pages in 2 Sections m Serving the Texas A&M University community Thursday, March 26, 1981 College Station, Texas USPS 045 360 Phone 845-2611 The Weather Today Tomorrow High 74 High 75 Low 58 Low 60 Chance of rain none Chance of rain. . . . . none egislator warns A&M If 'attitude’ problems By LIZ NEWLIN Battalion Staff AfSTIN — State representatives gU some tough questions at Texas |P Wednesday in budget hearings Be the House Appropriations Com- ittec- Bbservers dismissed most of the Branging jabs as grandstanding, Borne legislators, apparently to ba- Be the act, complimented the school. B)ne legislator — speaking like a ■ about his team — said Texas B’s “attitude” may create problems r it in the money game. “I don’t want you to be arrogant and pit your wealth and your power,” B Don Rains, D-San Marcos, told 'ffi A&M’s chancellor during a dis- fesimi of the System’s airplanes. Bancellor Frank W.R. Hubert re- itinped, “I hope you haven’t found any inse of arrogance in its (the airplanes’) te.’ “I[have,” Rains said. pJl other state' agencies, including Bovernor’s office, use planes from a m based in Austin. Texas A&M’s B airplanes are maintained at Texas &M-owned Easterwood Airport, Bi was built to train students during /oriel War II and has since been im- Bed, mainly with Federal Aviation dministration money. When the airplane pool was created a Bears ago, Texas A&M officials say, sgislators exempted the Texas A&M ystem from joining the pool because Bigriculture and engineering ser- ices require a lot of air travel. But lembers of the Appropriations Com- littee, who heard testimony from offic- rs of the state airplane pool Tuesday, wanted to know why Texas A&M was an exception. “It’s terribly difficult to explain how Texas A&M is so different from the rest of the state agencies, ” Rains said. After the hearing, Hubert and other officials said the airplane argument comes up each session. This time they think a hearing the day before exagger ated the issue in representatives’ minds. In an interview after the hearing, Rains indicated the matter was more significant than in the past. He said Texas A&M’s attitude may get the Sys tem into trouble. “There are things in that budget that if they appeared in any other institu tion’s budget they would be dismissed out of hand,” he said. “Everyone in Texas is equal. Even Texas A&M is equal. And we’re going to see that they’re treated equally.” Rains, whose constituency includes Southwest Texas State University, said he wants parity among state schools. But he agrees that Texas A&M should continue as one “of the two greatest universities in the state” with the help of the Permanent University Fund. In fact, he said, “I didn’t gradu ate from A&M, but I always wish I would have.” It’s the attitude, shared with some other legislators, that bothers him. “Just because Senator Moore could get something done at the request of the University administration is no reason to do it. Senator Moore is gone now, ” he said. Former Sen. William T. Moore of Bryan was defeated in the Democratic primary last May by Kent Capterton, who now holds the seat claimed by “The Bull of the Brazos” for more than 40 years. Rains said he planned to point out more questionable items in the Texas A&M budget, but the hearing was li mited to one hour because of debate on the House floor concerning interest rates. The remainder of Texas A&M’s presentation is scheduled Monday. The Texas A&M budget was reviewed by the Senate Finance Committee in a friendly session March 10, yet a final decision about the two-year budget is still months away. While the questions at the hearing Wednesday probably will have little effect — especially with Bryan Rep. Bill Presnal as chairman of the Appropria tions Committee — Texas A&M is under pressure this session from several fronts. Most of them also surfaced at the Wednesday hearing. Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D- Houston, asked about funding for Prairie View A&M, which probably will receive an extra $8 million this session. She and Hubert agreed that is a good start, but more needs to be done. On a related issue, legislators asked about Texas A&M’s plan to satisfy federal re quirements on civil rights. One representative asked about for mer Texas A&M president Jarvis Mil ler, who is on loan to the governor’s office but still recieving an annual salary of $72,000 from Texas A&M. Hubert said the System and the governor’s office have now agreed that Miller’s appointment will end by Aug. 1. n 'h urch wan ts sh ort s trike United Press International WASHINGTON — A nationwide like by 160,000 soft coal miners begins ist after midnight tonight, and United fine Workers President Sam Chu'rch wants quick ratification of a new con- act to end the walkout by Tuesday. PThe bearded, tobacco-chewing un- Rpresident scheduled an eight-state ■ before Tuesday’s vote by rank-and- le miners to convince them to approve Bentatiye agreement reached Mon- Kin a predawn bargaining session. Bis first stop today was Pittsburgh. Jferward, he was to visit two mine sites in southwestern Pennsylvania and re main at one until the strike begins at 12:01 a.m. EST Friday. Church also plans to visit mines or union rallies in West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. Despite the tentative three-year agreement reached with industry nego tiators and a 21-14 approval vote by the UMW bargaining council on Tuesday, the miners are adhering to their “no contract, no work” rule until ratifica tion. mMIm 7/j IN If the miners ratify the agreement Tuesday, ft would mean only a five-day strike not long enough to have any significant impact on the economy or energy supplies. Church and other union leaders briefed leaders of the union’s 18 soft coal districts Wednesday on the pact, which includes a 36 percent wage and benefits boost over the next three years. The UMW won a major victory by gaining a $100-a-month pension for ab out 45,000 widows of miners who re tired before 1974. It relinquished a pro vision that forced coal operators to pay a royalty to pension and welfare funds on coal prepared for the market from firms that are not part of the Bituminous Coal Operators Association agreement. Master of mime Photo by Dave Einsel French mime Marcel Marceau — here portraying Rudder Auditorium Wednesday night. For a re- a statue in a park — delighted a capacity house in view of Marceau’s show, please see page 5. ■ /< wm iPrui i(T is#* IpMC'* WSm* *■ *. ’. Hi .. ■■Bi ~.*u. v'-t-Sb Polish leader warns against "holy war’ United Press International WARSAW, Poland — Deputy Prime Minister Mieczyzlaw Rakowski warned the Solidarity union in a crisis meeting its “holy war” strike calls were risking Soviet intervention, and the state radio announced Poland has only 12 days of food supplies left, Wednesday’s crucial session between the (govern ment and union aimed at averting a nationwide four- hour strike Friday and a general strike startihg Tues day broke up after only 90 minutes, and the most a Solidarity source would say is that the talks would probably resume today. Solidarity has voted to call the twin strikes unless the government conducts an investigation of police beatings of Solidarity members in Bydgoszcz last Thursday and dismisses the officials responsible for the attack. Other demands call for an amnesty of political prisoners and recognition of a rural farmers’ union — which the government has vowed it will never do. Little progress was made in the government-union talks, and Solidarity leader Lech Walesa charged that the goverment used the meeting as a forum to read the union the riot act. “They were not prepared, ” Walesa told UPI. “They did not have any solution or stand. It is by the good will of Solidarity that the talks will resume tomorrow.” Rakowski, the government negotiator, called Soli darity’s demands an “ultimatum (which) does not leave any room for compromise,” and in his statement to the union later broadcast by Polish TV accused the 10- million member of leading the nation to the brink. “There are forces in Solidarity who want to declare a holy war against the authorities,” Rakowski said. “What do you want to prove?” ( I - - Amended Greek bill passed f/r WM §§U- s 7 • ^ , iHnit ft iw i? • :| mw. tk . .Rtcra. Rate hike protest Photo by Kathleen A. Wakefield Hotard Hall residents used this sign to protest Tuesday’s Board of Regents decision to increase room rent in the dormitory 120 percent, from $193 to $424 per semester. Air conditioning and carpeting for the dorm account for most of the increase. By TERRY DURAN Battalion Stall An hour-long verbal slugfest over a proposal to grant University recognition to fraternities and sororities and a visit by former Texas A&M President Jarvis Miller highlighted the last meeting of the 1980-81 student senate Wednesday night. The senate dealt with all 13 measures under the “old business” category. Three bills were killed in committee, two were referred for consideration to the 1981-82 senate, and eight — includ ing a heavily amended version of the Greek recognition bill — were approved. A bill introduced March 4 by off- campus graduate senator Janet Golub proposed official University recognition of the Inter-Fraternity Council and the PanHellenic Association. The bill was reported out in a heavily amended form, acknowledging that “the question of recognition ... is important,” but it called for further study due to incom plete information and insufficient time to act on any decision. The amended version called for a committee of student leaders to ex amine the situation, gather student opinions and present recommendations at the next-to-last senate meeting of the Fall 1981 semester. Student Government President Brad Smith tried to calm the controversy. Smith pleaded with the senators to take steps to avoid a “horrible rift” in the student body over the issue of Greek recognition. “We’ve got to be open minded,” Smith said. “The Greeks could be a vi able force to promote Aggie unity.” If they are not, he said, the committee would see that and refuse recognition. The committee, as called for in the amended version of the bill, would con sist of the Residence Halls Association president, the Off-Campus Aggies pres ident, the Corps commander, the SG student services vice president and two representatives each from the PanHel lenic Association and the Inter- Fraternity Council. The committee would be chaired by the student body president, who would vote only in case of a tie. The senate passed this version by a wide margin. A later motion to include the presi dent of the MSG Council and the senior class president on the commit tee was defeated after relatively brief discussion. Former President Miller was awarded a large plaque by the student senate. The inscription praised his “stu dent orientation, leadership and exam ple” during his term as University presi dent 1977-80. Miller, although still technically em ployed by the Texas A&M University System, is “on loan” to Texas Governor William P. Clements in the state office of budget and planning. Another measure approved Wednes day night asks University officials to study the possibility of establishing an outdoor recreation facility on 1,200 school-owned acres close to Easterwood Airport. Other bills approved by the senate will: O’ Recommend increasing the fine for illegal parking without a valid TAMU parking sticker to $15 from $20 and cut the fine for illegal parking with a valid permit to $7.50. o Establish a weekly Free Speech Forum Wednesday afternoons on the sidewalk between Bizzell Hall and Rud der Fountain. A Student Government representative will act as moderator, and each person — anyone can speak— may speak on whatever subject he or she wishes for at least ten minutes. o Evaluate the current Q-drop poli cy for both undergraduate and graduate students in the Fall 1981 semester. o Recommend that bicycles block ing traffic outside the MSG, Evans Lib rary and Heldenfels Hall being moved to the nearest bike rack by University personnel. O’ Provide student senate support for expansion of the Evans Library quiz file in the reserve reading room. Two bills referred to the incoming senate for action would: O’ Study the student financial aid situation and make recommendations for improvements to University offi cials. cr Recommend building an addition to the A. P. Beutel Health Center. Tsutsui service today Memorial services for chemistry re searcher Dr. Minoru Tsutsui will be held at 2 p.m. today in the All Faiths Chapel. Tsutsui, a specialist in organometallic chemistry and a leading figure in Texas A&M’s catalyst research program, died March 10 of an apparent heart attack. He had served as a faculty member since 1968. His family has requested that in lieu of flowers contributions be made to the Minoru Tsutsui Memorial Graduate Fellowship Fund through the Devel opment Office on campus.